1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for controlling the water content in products stored in an enclosure.
The invention concerns any product whose water content may influence storage thereof, and aims more particularly at organic matters and agricultural products, such as cereals. Enclosure is understood to mean any large-dimension storage space, particularly a silo.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fundamental principle of storage consists in maintaining and/or modifying the parameters which determine good quality or an expected quality of preservation of the products. It is known that, for each product, appropriate ranges or limits of water content and/or temperature exist, in which it is possible to maintain or to obtain characteristics of the product stored. The water content of a product is defined as being the ratio of the quantity of water contained in this product with respect to the total weight of said product. In certain cases, the water content can be expressed in the form of molar title.
In order to be sure that the water contents and the temperatures are included in the range of preservation of the products, it is necessary periodically to know the values thereof. To that end, it is known to immerse temperature-measuring sensors. If the enclosure is ventilated, it is also possible to measure the temperature of the incoming and/or outgoing air.
These means do not make it possible to know with precision the value of the water content in the products in order to control the atmosphere of the enclosure.
A device capable of modifying the temperature and/or the water content in the container is then employed. To illustrate this, the device for modifying the atmosphere may be a ventilator which blows air into this enclosure or sucks air out of said enclosure. Use of this apparatus is circumstantial, essentially as a function of the temperature.
Such a process of controlling does not really enable the desired results to be obtained, with the result that the characteristics of the stored products can be modified, such as by the appearance of bacteria, insects or mould, or an excessive reduction in the water content of the products.
In order to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art set forth hereinabove, the invention proposes a process which enables the water content in products stored in an enclosure to be controlled simply and reliably.